Mission Meeting 1

This will be the most unusual “missionary” trip, insomuch as we are traveling abroad, but we are not going to preach or teach the gospel. The first stop will be London and the purpose is to seek the mind of the Lord along with others internationally as to where we should be going in our world mission outreach. We traveled from our home on April 25 and arrived at London Heathrow the next morning. From there we (with about 7 other Americans) went down to the “basement” of Terminal 1 and boarded the underground train. From here we rode the Piccadilly Line from one end to the far end (about 1 and ¾ hours ride). At the distal end we took taxis to the Premier Hotel, which is really out in the countryside north of London. A couple who live in Luton, Kayode and Bola Aganna had been so kind as to have made most of the arrangements for us.

Mission Meeting 2

Since so many of us had arrived early (hoping to rest off some jet lag before the meeting) we decided to get together, to begin sharing with one another and not waste any of the precious time. When everyone arrived there were about 30 of us from the US, Czech Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone/Congo, Germany, and Switzerland/Philippines. We arranged our chairs in a complete circle; there was no designated speaker, no podium and no need for an interpreter. Each and every one had an opportunity to share what the Spirit of God was saying, some more and some less. The general consensus is that the hour is late and the King wants to fill all of the places at the wedding feast of His Son. There is a sense of expectancy that something big is on the horizon, that we as well as our circumstances will be changed very quickly and that the power will be given His servants to accomplish what must be done. A report of the current status of each mission area was given and the mind of Christ was sought in prayer. We all left the meeting with a renewed sense of the urgency of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom where we have the open doors.

Lantershofen

On Sunday afternoon, April 29 we left London and traveled with Sister Hannelore on a Germanwings flight to Bonn, where her husband, Hartmut met us at the airport and drove us to their home in Lantershofen near Ahrweiler. We spent the next two days with them and then returned home on Wednesday, May 2. We had a blessed time sharing in the Word and the Spirit with them. We were also able to discuss the future of a weekend conference here tentatively scheduled for October 12-14.

The May Pole

This is the first time that we were ever able to observe the European celebration of May Day (the first day of May). In the center of the small village (and apparently all villages) we noticed a utility sized pole that had recently been erected with an evergreen tree lashed to the very top of it and colored ribbons streaming down from that (50 or 60 feet in height). Nearby they had one of the streets completely blocked off by a very large farm tractor. About a dozen young men sat in a circle in the street, having a good time and supposedly guarding the maypole (the idol, Baal) and in the process drinking beer like there was no tomorrow. All those glass beer bottles were later cleaned up and filled a small utility trailer. Young men also took smaller trees and attached them to the houses of where there lived a girl of their amorous interest. I quickly came to the conclusion that this thing has deep pagan roots.

We encourage you to continue to hold the mission endeavor in your prayers. Ethiopia will be the next visit for us in late May through early June. Burt and Nancy Asbill are already there and some others will be joining them for about two weeks shortly.